BRAZILIAN STAR SHINES IN AUSSIE DEBUT

Brazilian winger Douglas Costa made an immediate impact in his debut for Sydney FC, playing a key role in the Sky Blues’ 5-0 victory over Hong Kong side Eastern SC in the AFC Champions League Two. The 34-year-old former Juventus and Bayern Munich star contributed to three of Sydney’s goals during the match at Jubilee Stadium, showcasing his flair and experience.

Costa, who played 69 minutes before being substituted for Max Burgess, expressed his satisfaction with the debut but warned there’s more to come. “It was really special and I hope to get more minutes, but I’m really happy here on and off the field,” Costa said. He admitted he’s still working on his fitness, estimating himself at about 65% but emphasized the team’s win and collective performance. “For the first game, we won it, and that’s the most important thing, and we score goals as a team,” he added.

Costa was involved in Sydney’s first three goals—two scored by former Morocco under-23 international Anas Ouahim and one by captain Rhyan Grant—as the team steadily took control of the match. Eastern SC’s own defensive errors further aided Sydney, with two own goals in the second half contributing to the final scoreline.

Despite the convincing win, Sydney could have extended the margin further, but Polish striker Patryk Klimala missed a second-half penalty. However, coach Ufuk Talay was pleased with his side’s performance. “We knew that we’d have a lot of the ball, and it was up to us to break them down,” Talay said, praising the team’s combination play, particularly in the second half. “Once we got into rhythm and rectified a few things, we pinned them back,” Talay added, noting how Sydney managed to dominate against Eastern’s low block.

Overall, it was a successful debut for Costa and a solid team performance from Sydney FC, signaling their intent in the competition.